Not Without You
by SilvertonguedClotpole
Summary: A part of him was laughing at how serious all of this was and what for? It was just a bad ankle and some snow, not like a full blown bandit attack or...say a Dragon invading the city.-Merlin's hurt, and the pair aren't getting back to Camelot anytime soon. The snow is falling and Merlin is begging his Prince to leave him, to get home safe. But no, to Arthur that will never do.


_**You know those random ideas that pop into your head when you see something? Well I saw a reblog of 'tsundereslasher's' post (shall link at the bottom) and this one appeared. Obviously it's not quite in relation to the post and canon episode but the thought of snow and Merlin/Colin looking so darn cold worked into this oneshot. So yes, basically just that, a random oneshot involving a limping fool, a lot of snow and *shhhh* a worried Arthur.**_

 _ **No beta so any mistakes my own and I do not own Merlin.**_

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Of course the idiot had sprained his ankle, at least he hoped it was only a sprain and not something more serious like a break- only so he didn't have to put up with George for weeks on end, obviously. Gwen had tried to warn him, Gaius had too, even Merlin had done it days ago when he raised initial curiosity, _"It will be far too dangerous if this weather gets worse"_ , they had all pretty much mused. There had been rumours of strange activity in one of the neighbouring ruins, such stories Arthur could not ignore, but of course, much to his luck, they did turn out to be hearsay and now here he was half carrying, half dragging a limping Merlin along with him. The weather hadn't been a bother at first, with the worst of the snow in more Northern regions, but as the days had wore on it had strengthened, even being blizzards for a time as the system made its way South. They had been fine though, they wore enough clothes, carried enough food and water and had horses for at least some of the journey, though neither of them liked to push the animals in such conditions, choosing to walk alongside them more often than not. It was on their way home that things took a turn, as they inevitably would. Exiting a cave and preparing for the days journey ahead, Merlin had been manoeuvring his horse over the rocks when it slipped taking him with it. With him being next to the creature it had fallen _onto_ him, the large body trapping his legs, his left one being at a rough angle between the animal and a rock. It had been enough to spook them both and they ran off far too quickly for Arthur to wrangle them back on the unsteady terrain, taking most of their belongings with them.

So here they were. Half a day's walk from Camelot, with no warm coats, very little food and a dwindling skin of water. And of course a limping servant.

"Tell me again why we didn't put the coats on _first._ " Arthur had been moaning _(also read: teasing)_ Merlin ever since, reminding him how much of a Clotpole he was and declaring that he was far colder than Merlin right now- "yeah, says the man in chainmail, layers and a cloak" had been his retort.

But this time there was no comeback, no sass or sarcasm, only a half hearted grunt. They had been walking for hours now, and whilst they were only a few hours away on healthy legs, it would be far longer on their unhealthy ones. Arthur knew that if they didn't hurry it up they would be threatening pneumonia or even death, he had seen knights taken by the cold more often that he should and knew how quickly it could take hold. Hoisting the limp body up a little further, and rearranging the arm over his shoulder he carried on a little faster. "Come on Merlin keep up. My supper won't make itself."

A small mumble finally came from the figure. "Sadly." The relief he felt was great, even if it was small in comparison to the servant's usual prattle.

They carried on a little further, the snow alternating between blindingly heavy to a light trickle. "You know what this reminds me of Merlin? The dust in my chambers when you've been slacking."

"Then do it yourself." Arthur was about to laugh when the weight in his arms shifted and Merlin pulled himself out of his grip before falling into the snow, the stuff now covering his legs it was that deep. Looking down he could see the exhaustion, he could see the pale face with its bright red cheeks, striking in comparison. The younger man's lips could barely move from the cold and his ears matched his scarf in colour. The absolute worrying thing was how he would stop shivering from time to time, his wracking frame coming to a stop every few minutes. Arthur had seen this before, for the moment it was on occasion, but soon it would cease completely, it would be the man's body conserving energy to stay warm; it would be him dying.

"Oh-ho no." He sing songed. "You already slack enough, no more _lazy daisy_ as you would so annoyingly put it. Up ya get." He said, placing his hands under the servants armpits and pulling. Merlin was no longer as skinny as he had been but he was definitely not heavy, yet Arthur found resistance when he pulled, he found an almost dead weight that wouldn't allow him to heave the man up the whole way.

"Just go, my leg's killing me and I'm just so..." The dark haired man broke off into a yawn, his white breath billowing out like a dragon. His lip must have cracked or split with the wide movement for he winced as a tiny speck of blood painted his grey lips. _Another worrying thing,_ Arthur thought as he took in the bluing tinge of colour on what was usually a pale pink.

"Do you realise how hard it is to find a decent servant Merlin?"

"Yes, you tell me everyday. Usually adding that you _still_ haven't found one." Although the retort was a good thing, that the man's mind was still relatively clear, the fact his entire face barely moved with the cold and how the voice was deep and tense from his hunched figure added to Arthur's list of panic.

"Well even so, I really do not fancy having to go through the process of getting a new one and training them right, then again I never had much success with you did I, but I just...I have far more important things to be doing. Even if Father would be pleased such a 'bumbling buffoon' was out of our services."

"Charming."

"His words not mine. But I mean it...I, I wouldn't want another servant." He coughs away any possible embarrassment or evidence of care. "Takes me too long to trust and like them, I'm not even sure I 100% like you yet anyway _Mer_ lin."

"Look, what is Camelot with one less servant? Fine, it will be fine. But Camelot with one less Prince...chaos, ruin, upheaval. You have to make it back, I'm nobody Arthur. If I make it back in a few days then fine, but you need to get home _now_ , you need to be safe." The longer the sentence went on the weaker the words got, with Merlin running out of breath, his eyes drooping that little bit more.

"Well what if I carry you...yes, of course why didn't I think that before. Come on swooning maiden." The Prince went to pick Merlin up bridal style but the man somehow managed to push him off.

"No. You need energy to move, to stay alive. I will only weigh you down, look at us, if I wasn't a limping fool we would be home by now."

Arthur tried to keep spirits up. "Well you got one thing right Merlin, you are a limping fool." His hands were now on his hips, caught halfway between jovial friend and serious heir to the throne. "But you are wrong about everything else. You are not nobody, you are a friend, a son...someone so many people could not bear to lose. Camelot would miss you, Camelot _would_ grieve. Now come on."

"NO!" By the Gods Arthur did not know how he did it but Merlin pushed himself up enough to move away, to stand for a short second and back away. He did fall though, a second later and he was back on the ground, a blanket of snow surrounding him doing nothing good for his failing health. "Go! Leave!"

A part of him was laughing at how much trouble they were going to, how serious all of this was and what for? It was just a bad ankle and some snow, not like a full blown bandit attack or...say a Dragon invading the city.

The soon to be King seemed to sober then, his back straightening, his face becoming stoic and determined. The way his brows creased reminded him oh so much of Uther, of the days he would declare the latest law or determine another man's fate.

"I'm not going back." He said. So matter of factly, so resolute. Merlin knew this was his final choice, that there would be nothing to change his mind. It shocked him to realise he did mean so much to Arthur. For as much as the Prince was making it seem the people who cared for him were back in Camelot he knew the words held far more meaning.

"Arthur..." The word was said in such a whisper it was almost nothing more than an exhaled breath, a frozen sigh. Merlin shook his head in horror, in disbelief.

The blond locks bounced as Arthur too shook his head. His face still defiant but his voice quivering however hard he made to hide it. "Not without you."

Merlin sat stock still. Everything was momentarily forgotten, his throbbing ankle, his constricting chest...there was no way Arthur was doing this for Gaius or Gwen or Hunith anymore, it was _him_ who would not let Merlin stay here, it was _him_ who was determined to not let his friend die. It was Arthur who would miss him. _"Camelot would miss you, Camelot_ would _grieve."_ Arthur _was_ Camelot, at least he was to Merlin and maybe the other man realised this. All the times he had told his Prince that Camelot was his home and the people he cared for, the family he had built. So many times he had tried to stop Arthur or plead for him that the city was nothing without him. Arthur knew that to Merlin _he_ was Camelot. And _Camelot_ would grieve.

At some point Arthur had knelt down beside him, he was watching as Merlin lost himself in his thoughts, the blue eyes darting to and fro as he put the pieces of the jigsaw together. Finally blue found blue and Merlin was no longer lost in thought but lost for words.

"Please Merlin." Arthur paused, his eyes showing sorrow, no longer a Prince ordering but a friend pleading. "Let me take you home."

"I will only weigh you down." He gave one final attempt. He didn't want to allow his friend to grieve but he could not, would not, put Arthur in danger because of him, not after everything. Not because of some stupid snow and a twisted ankle.

And suddenly Arthur began stripping. First his cloak, then his chainmail. _(Well clearly he can dress himself then.)_ He did stop when he got to his shirt and trousers though. Merlin's shocked and confused look had him laughing then. "You weigh about the same as my chainmail no doubt, so I lose it and I can carry you. I'll only be carrying around the same amount as I would have been anyway. So no more excuses."

It was Merlin's turn to joke then, but there was an air of complete seriousness behind it. "Oh no, you'll just freeze to death instead!"

Arthur made a face akin to him making a tough decision, that or using the toilet, Merlin couldn't decide. "Nerr, I don't think I will."

He moved far faster than Merlin could comprehend, scooping the discarded cloak up he wrapped the smaller man in the material before picking him up as easy as a babe. So much of Merlin was screaming in embarrassment but there was too much of him protesting to really worry too much about that.

"You'll...you'll..."

"I will what Merlin? Freeze? No, you will keep me warm, plus carrying you about will make me sweat, and I was clever enough to put a few extra layers on before we left. Or did you mean I will tire easily? Then no, you, in fact, seem to be lighter than my armour so this will be a breeze. Any more excuses? No? Then off we go." And just like that they were walking, the snow covered trees moving all around them, the boot prints marking a path behind them.

In his confused state of mind Merlin wasn't sure sweating was a good thing for Arthur to do in this weather but as the minutes wore on and the newfound heat from the cloak melted into the soft lull of Arthur's movements Merlin's eyes began to drift shut, and no longer from weakness. His weary eyes began to flutter but every few times he opened them he would see Arthur peering down on him, giving him the once over and probably reassuring himself that Merlin was only falling asleep for the right reasons.

"I'm ok." He reassured, his eyes closed but head nodding for extra prominence.

As he was soothed by the assurance of Arthur, of the heat of his red cocoon and the bounce not dissimilar to that of a mother comforting her baby, the words of his Prince floated around in his mind. They were the last things he thought of before he finally fell asleep, the sight of Camelot rising up over the crest of the final hill. Finally home. Finally safe.

So many times Merlin had promised not to leave, or to give up because of Arthur, he would not rest without the Prince's safety in hand. And now the sides of the coin had reversed and it was he who's safety and security laid in the hands of his Prince. So many times Merlin had promised _Not without Arthur,_ not until he was safe or the danger had passed. He still had to laugh at how stupid this all was, because of a bit of snow and a sprained ankle, but deep down he remembered seeing the casualties of winter, of how they had suffered until finally their bodies could handle no more. And Arthur had seen it too, and more than anything he was not going to let that happen to Merlin, by Gods he would not have watched as Merlin's body and life was frozen and cracked like the last of the tree's leaves.

Arthur would not have let Merlin perish. He would not have left him to suffer alone.

 _Not without you._

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 ** _Hope you enjoyed and the post in question is: /post/128110439381 (obviously with the above url and tumblr link) and I also hope they don't mind me linking to the post, but it did bring the idea to fruition. :)_**

 ** _Take Care everybody. X_**


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